Varroa treatment Queen Rearing Nucs

[3bees]

I have 5 poly Nucs, the result of this year's queen rearing. They are on between 3 and 5 frames of brood. Any advice for the best varroa treatment for these small colonies - yes they do need treating.

Thanks

 

[Noddy]

Oxalic vape

 

[Ian123]

If you need to treat now I would simply drop a strip of apistan or apivar in done in seconds. Even if any resistance in your area it should provide enough drop to see them to your late autumn treatment and then use the alternate treatment or thymol depending on temp. Watch the thymol in poly though as have had the odd 1 abscond. I would think they should build nicely into a full box for winter though

 

[B+.]

If you need to treat now I would simply drop a strip of apistan or apivar in done in seconds. Even if any resistance in your area it should provide enough drop to see them to your late autumn treatment and then use the alternate treatment or thymol depending on temp. Watch the thymol in poly though as have had the odd 1 abscond. I would think they should build nicely into a full box for winter though

The problem with resistance is continued exposure...a bit like over prescribing antibiotics. Pathogens, or in this case pests, develop/retain an immunity. So, I wouldn't recommend this course of action at all. Far better to use the OA if you really need to treat.

 

[3bees]

Has anyone vaped a Paynes Nuc. I would imagine they are difficult to seal?

Any other ideas?

 

[Ian123]

b+ lets not over complicate this, the bloke just needs a quick easy treatment for 5 nucs to see him into autum. For the sake of an argument though i did suggest he alternate his next treatment and did also suggest thymol so no resistance issues there.....on the subject of oxalic i love the stuff and have used it for many years...i even had to explain its use and how to trickle to our local rbi, helped several commercial beek friends do it the first time on their hives and on many occasions explained to other beeks how it was possible to open a hive in the winter and apply this stuff(oh and guess what it did not kill the bees..lol)...for many it was a completely foriegn idea...and indeed it was as a italian beek was kind enough to show me but that was back in the day!!!

 

[oliver90owner]

They may have apistan, or other, resistant already. Who knows?

Given the opportunity, either thymol or preferably OA would always be my preferred options. Some thought as to their future might be good. Insecticides remain in the wax and any honey stores.

Can’t see a problem of sealing any hive given, a bit of lateral thinking (perhaps), by the beekeeper.

 

[Finman]

.
When I used Apistan and I treated 3-frame nucs, I lost several queens. They stopped laying. To evaluate a dose is difficult.
.

 

[Ian123]

As with all beekeeping questions there’s many possible answers and not all are wrong as I am sure we all are aware oxalic in all forms works best in broodless hives. There’s a good chance that a high percentage of mites have headed into all that lovely new brood and a treatment that is effective over its emergence would be more effective. There are of course 50 different variables and I do wish there was no treatments of any nature required but the guy asked for treatments now and would in all likely hood have to treat again in autumn. So pays your money and take your choice

 

[3bees]

As with all beekeeping questions there’s many possible answers and not all are wrong as I am sure we all are aware oxalic in all forms works best in broodless hives. There’s a good chance that a high percentage of mites have headed into all that lovely new brood and a treatment that is effective over its emergence would be more effective. There are of course 50 different variables and I do wish there was no treatments of any nature required but the guy asked for treatments now and would in all likely hood have to treat again in autumn. So pays your money and take your choice

Thanks Ian, I fully see your argument and am minded to go your way, especially as this beekeeper is unable to think laterally enough to ensure OA vaping is done adequately on a paynes poly nuc. OA vaping will need to be done on more than one occasion for each colony - one poster on this forum was still having large drops after seven vapes, although I assume this was on a full colony.

 

[Erichalfbee]

one poster on this forum was still having large drops after seven vapes, although I assume this was on a full colony.

Its not that common, I assure you.

 

[mbc]

As with all beekeeping questions there’s many possible answers and not all are wrong as I am sure we all are aware oxalic in all forms works best in broodless hives. There’s a good chance that a high percentage of mites have headed into all that lovely new brood and a treatment that is effective over its emergence would be more effective. There are of course 50 different variables and I do wish there was no treatments of any nature required but the guy asked for treatments now and would in all likely hood have to treat again in autumn. So pays your money and take your choice

I agree but oxalic could still be an option ;
https://beekeepingforum.co.uk/showthread.php?t=38743

 

[Hebeegeebee]

Apilife Var splits down into 1/2 doses easily - or 1/2 Apiguard dose per colony.